Security forces in Qatar detained two Norwegian Broadcasting Corp (NRK) journalists for more than 30 hours and deleted footage they gathered at a migrant labor camp as they tried to report on worker issues ahead of next year’s FIFA World Cup, authorities said on Wednesday.
The Qatari government accused NRK journalists Halvor Ekeland and Lokman Ghorbani of “trespassing on private property and filming without a permit,” as the two returned on Wednesday to Norway following their arrest. The journalists contended they had verbal permission from those they filmed there.
The arrests sparked a diplomatic dispute between Norway and Qatar. Norwegian news agency NTB reported that the Qatari ambassador to the country was summoned to Oslo’s foreign ministry over the matter.
Photo: AFP
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere called the arrests “unacceptable.”
“A free press is crucial in a functioning democracy,” Gahr Stoere wrote on Twitter. “This also shows the importance of this year’s awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize [to journalists]. I am very happy that Halvor Ekeland and Lokman Ghorbani have now been released.”
The arrests show the ongoing sensitivity felt by the autocratic government of Qatar. Other journalists have faced similar problems and detentions while reporting in Qatar as well ahead of the World Cup.
Ekeland, a sports journalist, and Ghorbani, a photographer, had been in Qatar as the country marked one year to go before the World Cup.
“They had gotten all the permissions needed to conduct interviews,” NRK director-general Thor Gjermund Eriksen told a news conference at its headquarters in Oslo.
Ekeland said they “didn’t have a written permission” to film on private property, but those there approved it.
He said security forces in civilian clothes later came to their hotel and asked them to come to a police station.
They “were concerned that we were not allowed to film, but we were invited there by the World Cup organization to film there and there were a bunch of other media organizations there as well,” Ekeland said.
The security forces had a “tone that was quite harsh and they wanted to intimidated us,” but he said “there were never threats or violence.”
“We feel that we were treated well,” Ekeland said.
The journalists told NRK that they were not allowed to leave Qatar with their equipment.
The Norwegian Union of Journalists and the country’s football federation both criticized the journalists’ arrest.
Denmark’s Union of Journalists is urging all Danish journalists not to travel to Qatar to cover the World Cup, saying the country cannot be trusted after the incident.
“I do not trust Qatar,” said Allan Boye Thulstrup, the union’s deputy leader.
“I am afraid that the sources critical of the government risk disappearing or going to prison for a long time, and that they will not be treated nicely in prison,” he added, speaking on Wednesday to industry magazine Journalisten.
“It is of no use that Qatar first promises the press can work unhindered and that they then arrest journalists,” Boye Thulstrup said.
His union has more than 18,000 members.
“Now the authorities in Qatar know what is on the journalists’ equipment,” Boye Thulstrup was quoted as saying. “If [the journalists] have been in contact with sources that are critical to the government ... then it is a process in which Qatar has short-circuited the entire source protection.”
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
TIGHT FINISH: Napoli only needed to do the same as or better than Inter, who won their game against Como 2-0 on the same day, leaving Napoli with a one-point lead The two players who Antonio Conte wanted more than any others secured Napoli their second Serie A title in three years on Friday. Scott McTominay scored with an acrobatic bicycle kick before halftime and Romelu Lukaku doubled the lead with a solo goal after the break in the decisive 2-0 home win over Cagliari. Conte became the first coach to win the Italian championship with three different teams. “Everyone contributed to this — but the coach most of all,” Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo said. “Napoli needed him to get back on top. He’s phenomenal.” Comparing it to his three Serie A titles won
Brighton & Hove Albion’s Jack Hinshelwood on Monday sealed a dramatic 3-2 victory against Liverpool to leave the English Premier League champions without a win since clinching the title. Arne Slot’s side took the lead through Harvey Elliott’s early opener before Yasin Ayari equalized at the American Express Stadium. Dominik Szoboszlai restored Liverpool’s advantage just before halftime, but Brighton staged a late fightback as Kaoru Mitoma leveled before Hinshelwood came off the bench to net with his first touch. Liverpool have taken just one point from their three matches following the title-clinching rout of Tottenham Hotspur on April 27. The Reds have lost at
RSS